Tuesday, June 28, 2011

It feels like I have been gone from this blog for so long! Too much stuff going on, and sadly, my reading time has been cut drastically. But, I am happy to say, I am getting back into my grove and hope to hit 70 books by the end of July. I have some amazing reads lined up:

I've got a few things figured out, to make sure I always have a book with me: The Nook is always charged up and ready to read, I have a spare book in the truck, and I have so many back up books to read, I'll never lack for something to read in any genre. Phew. I hope to get back to my Random Reads Monday soon, to keep the books on my bookshelves from getting lonely and neglected. If you're looking for a no-stress book club, please join my reading group on Talking Leaf Book Club. We're reading The Great House by Nicole Krauss in July, and I'll be posting another batch of titles to vote on for August, September, and October.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Semi-Sweet by Roisin Meaney is a book that has much more than delicious cupcakes. Meaney's novel, set in Ireland, centers around Hannah Robinson, a thirty-something woman who has finally taken the plunge and is days away from opening a cupcake shop.

Her boyfriend Patrick decides that it's time to break things off with Hannah. Patrick is a total jerk--he's already having an affair, and soon finds out his new girlfriend is pregnant. Hannah struggles to pick up the pieces and uses her cupcake shop as therapy to get over Patrick.

Hannah's story is one of many in this novel. Her friend Adam moves in with her to help pay bills, and he soon finds himself captivated by a young musician who plays at the local wine bar. Can he find a way to talk to her and get closer? And what about Wally, the taxi cab driver who Hannah slowly gets to know over the months? Is John, a recent addition to Clongarvin the answer to Hannah's loneliness?

Once again, we find out that living in a small town usually means there's a lot going on under the surface. Hannah's cupcake shop ties each of the stories together. It's a light, yet solid read for anyone who wants a good story for the summer and escape to a small town in Ireland for a few hours. Go ahead--eat a cupcake while you read!